Wimbledon will follow the US and Australian Opens in utilizing replay technology.
Video review systems are set to arrive at Wimbledon this year.
Athletes are granted the option to question specific decisions from the official, following the protocol already in operation at each of the US Open and the Australian Open.
This innovation will be accessible on Centre Court and Court One throughout the Championships and on the other four show courts when they are staging singles contests.
This move follows just a season following the All England Club introduced ELC, which brought an end to the 147-year tradition of line judges.
Scope of Challenges
Competitors will not be permitted to dispute the call of the electronic line calling, but they can request the umpire to review specific decisions, including:
- Whether a tennis ball has double-bounced.
- If a shot touched an rival's racket or body on the way past.
- Potential hindrance at the conclusion of a point.
Importantly, there will be no cap on the number of reviews a player can request.
Case in Point
A recent example took place in a recent tournament last week, where Daniil Medvedev used the review system against Jack Draper.
The British player conceded it was a difficult call for the umpire, but thought his rival had "played the rules quite well."
Official Aurelie Tourte watched a replay and determined Draper was guilty of hindrance, awarding the point to Medvedev.
Broader Adoption
Video reviews aren't new for Grand Slams. The system has been in use at the US Open for two years and the Aussie Open this year.
Additionally, it is increasingly prevalent on the women’s WTA Tour, and by next season the ATP circuit will have video reviews in place at every one of its tournaments.
Further Updates
Another change at The Championships this year involves the introduction of graphical cues on displays to complement the verbal announcements from the electronic line calling system.
This addresses instances where spectators have occasionally been uncertain whether a shot was in or out.
Finally, with exactly a century of days to go until the start of the Championships, the AELTC have further revealed an increase in daily capacity at the qualifiers in Roehampton.
